Why didn’t the Detroit Tigers lose 115 games last year? Because they only played 161 games. If they’d played 162, they probably would have lost that one too.

The Tigers and the Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals are all reasons the Cleveland Indians were able to coast to two division titles. The Tigers, Sox, and Royals had more than 300 losses combined last year.

Miguel Cabrera may be a hall-of-famer but even his powers aren’t enough to overcome this dumpster fire, ahem, we mean, “rebuilding effort.”

Similar to the Royals, the Tigers are waiting for young arms to make it to the show. Right-hander Casey Mize is their number-one prospect and first pick from the 2018 draft. So far he hasn’t disappointed and is sporting a walks-and-hits-per-innings-pitched number of less than 1.0. He has a strikeout-to-walk ratio of better than four-to-one. Righty Matt Manning has also advanced to AA ball with similar success, a WHIP OF 1.12 and a K-to-BB ratio of three-to-one. Left-hander Tarik Skubal has a WHIP of 1.02 and a K-to-BB ratio of five-to-one. Lefty Joey Wentz has similar numbers with AA Erie.

Infielders Brandon Dixon and Harold Castro give the Tigers options at multiple positions. Third baseman Nikki Goodrum and left fielder Christin Stewart are getting a chance too but have struggled. Nothing in the pipeline offensively below them gets me really excited.

They are a ways off from respectability and the arms then will lead them. If even two of their call-ups produce they’re still horrific. 54 wins. Call me in 2023.

Coronavirus 60-game prediction: 20-40.

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